If I Go Crazy
by VampedVixen
Summary: Set in an alternate future: What would happen if Lex became the hero, and Clark the villian?
1. Default Chapter

If I Go Crazy  
By Janet Jongebloed  
  
"If I go crazy, then will you still call me Superman?"  
  
Slowly, Lex walked into his office his mind blocked out painful thoughts, leaving him for the moment emotionally dead. Unlocking the cold metal cabinet, he retrieved a small box. Sitting down at the mahogany desk, he set the box in front of him. Just its presence seemed imposing and foreboding. Once he turned down this path there was no turning back.   
  
The lock on the silver box fell open with the turn of a key and Lex was face to face with the reality of what had to do. Sent from Star Labs, it was a heavy piece of Kryptonite. It glowed green innocently, unaware that everything relied on its power.   
  
Lex took it out of molded spot it took up in the box. Calmly he stared at it, the light show it made throughout the room when reflecting off the chandelier. "Clark, what have you gotten yourself into?" His voice was tired, tired of fighting with this choice. Being the only one who could get the world out of this mess was something that fought with his soul.   
  
There had been Lana. She knew the way out too... way back when she was still alive. And the Kents, but they were gone too. Clark had trusted no one else with his weakness. Now his trust would have to be used against him.   
  
Even hiding behind the ultra-security of his fortress like home Lex knew what was going on, how many people were being killed. Safety was a thing of the past, ever since their 'Superman' had fallen from grace. Clark had 'discovered his true purpose' so he said; the Kryptons had sent him to take over. It had quickly turned into a power trip with him, after he realized how much more powerful he was compared to the normal humans. Scared for so many years, once his secret came out and once he realized that it didn't matter and the government posed no threat to him... that was the beginning of the end.   
  
With a pang of regret, Lex put the Kryptonite back in the box and carefully locked it. He decided not to think about it anymore, put it back in the cabinet and closed the door. There had to be another way, something he hadn't thought of yet. This was his friend, he had always thought of Clark as a little brother, there had to be a way to reach him. But could they spare the time it took Lex to find it.  
  
He exited the office and shut the door behind him, squaring away the thoughts for the time being. On the other side of the mansion, Lex found his wife watching the evening news worriedly. Their daughter was asleep on her lap.   
  
"I can't believe it," Lori Luther shook her long blond curly hair. Dismayed by the images that flashed on the flatscreen television. A building in flames, hundred stories high, collapsing in on itself, "Look what Kal-EL did now. Oh, Lex, I don't understand what is going on with the world today."  
  
Pensively Lex sat next to her, trying to comfort her but still lost in his thoughts. Every other day it was something different, Clark seemed content on his mission to destroy the human race. God, how he had changed from the shy compassionate farm boy he once was. Lex kept that part of Clark's past to himself, to tell Lori about who he had been would be fruitless. She'd never believe it, she hadn't grown up in Smallville, hadn't know Clark like Lex did.   
  
Lex shook himself out of his reverie and kissed his wife on the forehead, "Don't worry, I'm sure the government will take care of this. They'll find a way. And we're safe behind here in the manor." Tenderly he cupped her chin in his hands, "Okay?"  
  
"Take care of me Lex," Lori asked, appreciating all that she shared with her husband, "Forever."  
  
"I promise." There was no power in the world that could take his girl from him. She had saved him from an empty loveless life, saved him from becoming like his father.   
  
Careful not to wake the sleeping five-year-old Lex lifted his daughter, the other bright light of his life, up into his arms. "I'm going to take Angie to bed, why don't you go to bed too? It's late."  
  
With a yawn, Lori nodded. Their bedrooms were a short walk down the west wing hall.   
  
"I'll be there in a few minutes." Lex softly said just before he disappeared into one of the rooms.   
  
"I'll be waiting." Lori smiled.  
  
Lavender with white wicker furniture Angie's room was a sharp contrast from the rest of the dark mansion. After he tucked his daughter in, he kissed her on her forehead and prayed to whoever would listen that his family would stay safe. That someday they would be able to live safely in a world void of the pain they had all experienced in the past few years.   
  
He walked over to the far wall where a breeze was coming through the open balcony window.   
  
Someday.  
  
...TO BE CONTINUED... 


	2. 

Disclaimer: I own the plot, Angie, Lori, and Lex…wait, no, not that last one… but I wish I did!

Notes: This is my first Smallville fanfic, so please review. I'll give you a cookie if you leave a review :)

Awake in the middle of the night, Lex ran his fingers across Lori's hair. He hardly ever slept anymore. Too many things to poke at his conscious with stressful worry. Light from the full moon shimmered across the floor. All was still, a welcome change from the long hectic days. Maybe that's why he couldn't sleep, he mused. Because in all this stillness it was easy to forget that a war still waged outside, a war the humans were loosing day by day. It was easy to forget, and god how he wished he really could.

Following the curve of his wife's body Lex wished for the simple days when they could go to the beach, or away to the mountains without having to look behind them every second, without the constant dread of what could happen. Because Kal-EL could be anywhere. Faster than a speeding bullet, some would say. And twice as deadly. They stayed indoors most of the time, hidden away in the old mansion, only venturing out for essentials. They had it better than others did though.

Building a family in the midst of such chaos was strenuous, but it was worth it. The schools had been closed for a few years, but Lori had been a schoolteacher before the war had broken out. She had seen to it that Angie was well educated and well read. If the world ever got back on its feet Angie would most likely be at the head of her class. And so they all muddled through this existence together, keeping each other sane and making the best of it.

Rubbing his eyes in tired circles Lex tried to fall back asleep, that is until he heard a very vocal scream from Angie's room. Next to him, Lori stirred, waking from her slumber. Grabbing a black silk robe Lex tied it around him and looked back at his wife, "Go back to sleep, Lor. I'll handle it… She's probably just having another nightmare."

"Alright, but if you're not back in ten minutes I'll call in the national guard," She said, only half joking.

Lex nodded and headed to see what the trouble was. In the other bedroom, on top of the pile of covers Angie had kicked away from herself in her sleep, the little girl was twisting and turning in her sleep. And screaming bloody murder. It was amazing that she could sleep through all that. But she had done it before. The nightmares had plagued her seemingly ever since she was born. "Angie, honey, wake up." Lex shook her lightly, "It's only a dream."

In an instant, Angie was awake and crying into her father's shoulder. "Oh, daddy, I was so scared."

"Shh… it was just a dream." Lex soothed her cries.

"But… but... I saw him. The evil man from the news."

"Is that what you dreamt about?"

"A-huh." She nodded gingerly. "He was melting me with his heat vision… and… and he was laughing. And he's a meanie, daddy, a real meanie." 

Lex wanted to tell her that Clark wasn't always like that, but it would have just confused her. Let her think that he was evil, because for now that's what he was. Rather she be safe and stay away from such things than sorry. So he only replied, "You know that he can't get in here, the alarms would go off, the locks, the forcefield, they're all here to keep you safe," Lex tucked her back under the covers, "So you don't have to ever worry about 'the evil man from the news' ever again. Okay?"

"Daddy?"

"What?"

"I love you," She whispered with a smile. In a heartbeat, she was sleeping calmly once again. 

"Me too." Lex whispered back and flicked the light off.

It was sunrise on the edge of Metropolis when Pete Ross had finally decided to head home. A little too much partying, and a lot too much drinking had taken its toll as he stumbled through the abandoned city streets. What did it matter, he wondered as he tripped over his own two feet a third time, they'd all be dead pretty soon anyway. It was better to get all the fun in now, because once judgement day came around who knew what would happen. 

It had been a year since he was sober, last time being Lana's funeral, no sense looking like the bumbling drunken idiot he had become in front of his old friends from his old town from his old life. Pete laughed and sat down on the pavement. Hell, that was one heck of a walk from the bar but damn it was the last one standing in this nearly vacant city. At least the waitress was hot, he chuckled. Too bad she didn't want to go back to his apartment. That would have been one night to remember… and then forget the next day. 

A movement from above him caught Pete's eye, a flash up in the sky, a blur amongst all the other blurs that made up this city. For an instant he wished he wasn't as drunk as he was, just so he could see straight, but sobriety was a bitch, a painful string of memories. 

Quickly the blur descended toward the ground, hovering only a few inches above the earth, "Hi there, Pete-y, long time no see, huh?"

"Aw fuck!"

…TO BE CONTINUED…


	3. 

I hope this part doesn't suck too much. I hate writing fight scenes. oh well *shrugs*  
  
Part 3  
  
As quick as humanly possible Pete took off running in the opposite direction. However super strength running is hard to compete with, impossible actually Pete realized as he stopped and leaned against the crumbling wall of an old warehouse. It had started to rain and the sky was as gray as death.  
  
As Clark came nearer, Pete couldn't help but compare the old innocent friend he used to know to this threatening stranger, god he looked like something out of the movie 'Blade', all dressed in leather and what was up with that trenchcoat. At least the old Clark had some fashion sense. At least the old Clark wasn't so. evil.  
  
Out of breath Pete tried to joke, "Clark, man, I saw you on tv. so, um, how've you been?" This was it; the time had come, he swallowed his fear and tried to look brave, unfortunately for him it didn't work.  
  
"I've been better than ever... finally." Abruptly Clark grabbed him by the shirt collar and gripped his forgotten companion's throat with a hostile fist. Dead, expressionless eyes stared back at the frightened man, "Now, why does everyone seem to have a problem with that?"  
  
"Well." Pete choked out the words, "You have been killing a lot of innocent people, and what with the destroying countries and all."  
  
Wild with anger Clark flung Pete through the brick wall, "Shut up!"  
  
Close to unconsciousness, Pete landed on the middle of the decrepit building. Regardless of the pain coursing through his body, he still tried to stand up. His memory flashed back to the freshman english class he had taken with Clark. Do not go gentle into that good night. Stupid poem. Why would anyone want to go fighting to their death? He'd have rather gone sleeping peacefully in his bed, but no, everything had to be done the hard way. "Why did you do it, Clark?"  
  
The other man flew inside the building slowly, taking pleasure in the damage he was causing.  
  
"Why did you do it?!" More upset than scared now, Pete repeated the unanswered question.  
  
"I was sick of pretending." The rain was really come down outside now, a few gusts of wind flooded through the gapping hole in the wall. "I was sick of it all. My parents wanted me to be careful, they thought they were protecting me." Standing toe to toe with Pete he cracked his knuckles and spat out, "They weren't protecting me. They were scared. They didn't want me to realize how much power I held over them, over everyone."  
  
"I can't believe this!" How many times had he envied the love the Kents had shown their son? It was the perfect loving family, until Clark destroyed it all, "They loved you, man. You were their only child."  
  
With another strong punch, Clark sent Pete flying a few feet back, "It was a fake. Everything was a fake. They lied to me!"  
  
"They were protecting you."  
  
"From who? The government?" Clark walked over to where Pete was lying on the floor. In a serious tone Clark spoke, "The government was never a threat to me. The only threat was in hiding, it nearly destroyed me. Just trying to be normal, but never truly fitting in. I just wanted to be like everyone else, however foolish of a wish that turned out to be. There were so many times I wanted to tell you. but if the truth would have gotten out."  
  
For the briefest second Pete thought he saw a hint of the old Clark he used to know.  
  
"But I was scared. Well, I'm tired of hiding. It's over."  
  
In a small voice Pete replied, "You could have told me, I would have understood. I was your friend, Clark. I was your friend and you turned your back on me. on everyone."  
  
"It had to be done," Clark said without a second thought.  
  
"And why Lana? You loved her." As Pete slowly got to his feet Clark watched him with the eyes of a predator.  
  
"She knew too much." Throwing a failed punch Clark continued, "I told her about it. I told her everything, at the senior prom. She said she understood, she said she didn't care, but she was lying, like everyone else. Lana hated me. I saw it in her eyes." A second punch was thrown, this one connecting with Pete's face, "The meteor wasn't my fault! But Lana blamed me. for everything."  
  
"No, she didn't."  
  
"It's doesn't matter, it's over," The rage pent up inside Clark released itself from its restraints and determinedly he lashed out, until Pete was huddled on the floor, bloody and beaten. "It's over."  
  
Death was approaching, filling Pete's eyes with tunnel vision and darkness. Cracked lips called out a painful question, "Why. me.?"  
  
"Because," Giving him one last look Clark deadpanned, "You're a part of my past." As his childhood best friend was dying behind him, Clark walked out into the rain that was flooding the city. Never looking back, he took off into the air.  
  
Police sirens called out in the night, their blaring noise only second to the torrential rain that seemed to fill the whole warehouse. For a second Pete thought someone might find him before it was too late. But it already was. Gathering his courage, he said a silent prayer for his fallen friend and for the world he was leaving behind, and shut his eyes forever. 


End file.
